Igniter for internal combustion engines operating over a wide range of air fuel ratios

Abstract

An igniter for ignition over a wide air / fuel ratio range. Igniter includes an igniter body including an internal cavity disposed substantially within the igniter body, an internal spark gap disposed substantially within the internal cavity, an external spark gap disposed substantially on an exposed surface of the igniter body, and a fuel charge delivery system for delivering a fuel charge to the internal cavity. A method for compression-igniting an air / fuel mixture in a cylinder of a internal combustion engine, the method comprising introducing a substantially homogenous charge of a first air / fuel mixture into a cylinder of the internal combustion engine during an intake stroke, compressing the substantially homogenous charge of the first air / fuel mixture in the cylinder of the internal combustion engine during a compression stoke, and combusting the substantially homogenous charge of the first air / fuel mixture in the cylinder of the internal combustion engine during a power stroke by injecting partially combusted products of a second air / fuel mixture into the cylinder, with the first air / fuel mixture having a substantially higher ratio, by weight, of air to fuel and the second air / fuel mixture.

Description

[0001]This application is being filed as a PCT International Patent Application in the name of Savage Enterprises, Inc., a U.S. national corporation and resident, (Applicant for all countries except US) and Harold E. Durling, a U.S. resident and citizen (Applicant for US only), on 7 Sep. 2001, designating all countries and claiming priority to U.S. Ser. No. 60 / 230,982 filed 7 Sep. 2000.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates generally to an igniter for use in internal combustion engines. More particularly, the invention relates to an internal combustion igniter, which permits the engine to be operated in a “spark-ignited” mode of operation (with a relatively rich fuel to air ratio) during periods of relatively heavy load and in a diesel mode of operation (with a relatively lean fuel to air ratio) during periods of relatively light load.BACKGROUND[0003]Internal combustion engines (i.e., those having an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a power stroke, and an exhaust str...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Enables efficient operation across a wide range of air / fuel ratios, reducing pollutant emissions and improving fuel efficiency by allowing the engine to choose between spark and compression ignition based on load conditions, achieving up to 20:1 air / fuel ratios in spark-ignited mode and 40:1 to 50:1 in compression-ignited mode.

Problems solved by technology

Compression-ignited engines, which run on such lean air / fuel mixtures and do not operate nearly as close to stoichiometric conditions as spark-ignited engines, tend to produce a higher rate of undesirable emission pollutants.

Moreover, the emission pollutants that are produced by compression-ignited engines are not nearly as amenable to treatment by the post-combustion catalytic technology currently available, as are the pollutants produced by spark-ignited engines.

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